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Bring users resources from across the globe

Photo courtesy of University of Glasgow

"Many items our students require are either not available in the UK or are held for 'reference only' at UK libraries… Being able to obtain items from abroad means that we cancel fewer requests, which is good for our stats, as it means the number of filled requests is kept relatively high."

As no one library can provide all the resources or content that students and researchers require, librarians sometimes have to tell users to travel across the country or, in some cases, abroad to view an item. By using interlibrary loan (ILL), the University of Glasgow Library has opened up quick and easy access to resources worldwide for everyone.

As a member of SHARES, an international sharing partnership of research libraries, University of Glasgow Library was able to share resources with other SHARES libraries using WorldCat® Resource Sharing. However, librarians were unable to fulfill all of the requests and knew they needed to extend their reach beyond SHARES locations to truly address their students' requirements.

Having used OCLC services for many years, it seemed obvious to stick with WorldCat Resource Sharing, which then was replaced with WorldShare® Interlibrary Loan in 2014. "We moved over to WorldShare ILL as soon as it was released as we wanted the optimum amount of time to get used to the new format," said Joanne Docherty, Interlibrary Loan Manager. This meant that University of Glasgow Library was able to offer increased access to even more resources outside of their usual remit.

"We have been using OCLC services for a number of years now and found WorldCat Resource Sharing [WorldShare Interlibrary Loan] to be an essential part of our daily service."

Article Exchange, a feature included in WorldShare Interlibrary Loan, allows the library to easily borrow and deliver document files to their students. This decreases the turnaround times and provides students with easy access to needed documents. Lending libraries use Article Exchange to deliver requested documents up to 60 MB in size in a secure, easy-to-use interface. "Using Article Exchange means requests can be received by the requesting library much faster, and patrons then receive their articles quicker. You also don't have the extra expense of postage," Joanne added.

By using WorldShare Interlibrary Loan, University of Glasgow Library is able to offer a service with a far greater reach for their students, making worldwide resources available on their doorstep.